Bottle transfer device



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BOTTLE TRANSFER DEVI CE Filed Dec. 2l, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. A. JOPLIN BOTTLE TRANSFER DEVICE July l2, 1938.

6 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 2l, 1936 July 12, 1938i. w. A. JOPLIN BOTTLE TRANSFER DEVICE e sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 2l, 1936 OMM OJO mmmOZ-m w. A. .JOPLHN BOTTLE TRANSFER DEVICE July l2, 1938.

Filed Dec. 2l, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 -July 12, 1938. 'w. A. v.10mm

lBOTTLE TRANSFER DEVICE Filed Dc. 2l, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 A fr! Patented July `12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BQTTLE TRANSFER.. DEVICE William Abbott Joplin, Quincy, Mass., assignor to Reinforced Paper Bottle Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 21, 1936, Serial No. 116,949 7 Claims. (CI. 214-1) 10 tom of the bottle when up-ended into the filling the gripping fingers position and also prevent sticking to the bottle, when they are releasing the bottle, as the wax on the surface of the bottle congeals. It consists essentially of a bottle gripping` device which seizes and shakes the parailined bottle; means for lifting the gripping device and seized bottle vertically clear of the` conveyor of a Daraiiiner; means for then swinging the lifted bottle concentrically in a vertical 20 plane to up-end and deposit the bottle in such up-ended or filling position onto a transporting conveyor; and means for releasing the gripping device and imparting a quick up and down recip rocating or shaking movement to the gripping `de- 25 vice as it releases the bottle as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a paramning machine, the .adjacent end of an endless conveyor and the transfer mechanism for transferring the :lo parained bottle from the parafiiner to the transporting c'onveyor.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the rear portion of the paraiiining machine and the transfer device shown in the normal position or the position 35 in which the bottle is gripped preparatory to transferring it to the transporting conveyor.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view taken on line ,3 3 Fig. 2.

Fig.` 4 is a *detail of the bottle transferring 40 mechanism separated from the rest of the machine and shown in its normal position.

Fig. `5 is aplan view of the gripping fingers and adjacent parts shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the ,45 transfer mechanism in the position it assumes after the transfer operation and prior to the deposit of the bottle on the transporting conveyor.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the gripping fingers and 50 adjacent parts when in the position illustrated in Fig. 6. i

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the 4transfer mechanism in the position it assumes when the gripping fingers are in position ready `55tok engage `another bottle for transfer.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the gripping fingers and adjacent parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 8

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of the path of travel assumed by the gripping fingers during a transfer operation. The dotted line 5 indicates the period the gripping fingers are open and the full line indicates the period the gripping fingers are closed.

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view on line II-II Fig. 4. 10

In the drawings like characters oi reference indicate corresponding parts in each gure.-

An endless conveyor I passes horizontally through the parafner 2 by which the Walls of the bottle are coated with liquid paraflin. The 15 conveyor I comprises two parallel chains connected together by retaining rings 3 in which the paper bottle bodies 4 are "slipped, the rings being so formed as to support the bottle bodies in the inverted position shown in Fig. 1.

I do not describe the parafiiner and the conveyor thereof in detail as they do not form part of the present invention.

Supported in bearings 5 and 6 is a power shaft 'I from which is driven a cam shaft 8 by means 25 of the worm gear 9 and Worm ID. The power shaft 'I is driven from any suitable source such as the motor M shown in Fig. 1.

An endless transporting conveyor II receives the bottles in a rightside up or filling position when transferred from the parainer conveyor I by mechanism hereinafter described. The conveyor I and transporting conveyor II are driven in unison by a step-by-step movement.

The drive for the conveyor I and transporting l conveyor II consists of a four point Geneva wheel I2 secured to the shaft I5 and driven from the camshaft 8 by the Geneva arm and roller designated I3 and I4 respectively. The shaft I5 extends transversely beneath the conveyor I. A sprocket gear I6 is secured to the opposite end of the shaft I5. The sprocket I6 drives the sprocket gear- IB by means of the sprocket chain II meshing with the gears I6 and I8.

A transverse shaft I9 is mounted in suitable 45 bearings and carries thereon the gears Ix forming carriers for the conveyor chains I.

The conveyor Il is driven from the shaft I9 of the conveyor I by means of the sprocket wheel 20 secured to the opposite end of the shaft I9 and 50 connected by a sprocket chain 2l to the sprocket Wheel 22 secured to the carrying shaft 23 of the conveyor II. The .sprocket wheels 20 and 22 and chain 2l are enclosed in a housing 24 (see Fig. 1). Keyed tothe main cam shaft 8 is a 55 main cam 56 which controls all the operations and functions of the transferring mechanism.

Mounted on bearings 26 and 21 is a rock shaft 28. The rock shaft 28 carries the gripping fingers and associated mechanism which will now be described.

A bracket 29 is keyed to thev shaft 28 and is provided with a normally horizontally extending portion 29x having a transverse orifice 29. Adjacent the body of the bracket 29 surrounding the shaft 28 is located a bolt 30.

A bracket member 3| is provided with depending spaced apart lugs 32 and '33 having orifices 34 and between which extends the portion 29x so that the orifices 29 and 34 are in transverse alignment for the reception of the hinge pin 35 whereby the bracket 3| is hingedly connected to the bracket 29. The bracket 3| is also provided with a lug 38 extending towards the shaft 28 and provided in its end with an open ended slot 31 through which the bolt 30 extends. The bolt 38 is provided with a washer 38 bearing against the lug 36 pressed thereagainst by the spring 39 and by such pressure tending to keep the bracket portions 29x and 3| in alignment under normal conditions. The end of the member 3| which is normally yremote from the shaft 28 is provided with two pairs of lugs 40 and 4|.

Gripping fingers 42 and 43 for gripping the bottle body are provided, the gripping portions thereof being arc-shaped to grip the external periphery of the bottle, such gripping portions being lined with sponge-rubber. or other suitable material 44. The fingers 42 and 43 are pivoted at 45 and 46 in the lugs 48 and 4| and are spring held together as indicated at 41 and are geared together as indicated at 48.

I will now describe the means by which the gripping fingers are swung concentrically around the shaft 28. y

A pinion 49 is fixed to` the rock shaft 28 and a lever 50 is swung upon a shaft 5| carried by the frame ofthe machine. One arm 52 of the lever 58 is provided with a gear quadrant 53 meshing with the pinion 49. The other arm 54 -of the lever depends and is provided with a longitudinal slot 55. 56 is a disc secured concentrically on'the ca shaft 8. In a face of the disc 56 is formed an eccentric cam groove 51. A bell crank 58 is mounted on a shaft 59.r One arm 66 ofthe bell crank 58 is provided with a cam roller 6| tracking in the cam groove 51. The other arm 62 of thebellcrank is connected by a. link 63 to the lever arm 54 by a connection |54V adjustable in the slot 55. By the rotation of'the disc 56, the bell crank 58 is reciprocated so as A'to reciprocate the lever 58 and through the gear quadrant 53 and pinion 49 rock the shaft 28 to swing the fingers 42 and 43 from theposition shown inl-Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 6

and back again to the normal position in Fig. 4. It is necessary in raising the bottle from the paraillner conveyor I that it be held vertical.

held horizontal so as to engage the next vertically disposed bottle 4 in the parafilner conveyor In order to automatically break the joint, the member 3| is provided with a depending arm 65 carrying at its lower end a freely rotatable roller 88. Coacting with the roller 66 is a stationary cam plate 61 having a convexed edge portion 68. The roller 66 engages the plate 61 normally below the convexed portion 68.

As the fingers 42 and 43 are swung either upward or downward in the reverse swinging movement, the roller 66 engages the convex cam portion 68 forcing the arm 65 outward so as to tilt the member 3l in a downward direction to compensate for its normal swinging movement and thus retaining it in a horizontal position until it passes the cam portion 68 when the spring 39 compressed by the aforesaid movement returns the member 3| into alignment with the member 29X.

I will now describe the means by which the fingers 42 and 43 are opened.

The cam disc 56 is provided with cam portions 69 and 10 extending beyond the exterior periphery of the disc 56 and which are adjustably secured to such disc as indicated at 1| and 12.

An arm 13 is mounted to swing freely on the shaft 28 and carries at its outer end a cam member 14 having a concave inner edge 15 terminating at its upper end in an inwardly notched portion 16. A block 11 is pivotally mounted on the arm 13 intermediate of its length.

A rock shaft 18 is journalled in a bearing bracket 19 carried on the machine frame. A cam arm is secured to the shaft 18 and is provided with a roller 8| travelling on the exterior periphery of the disc 56 in the path of the cam portion 69 and 10. cured to the opposite end of the shaft 18 and is provided at its free end with an open ended slot 83 in which the block 11 slidably fits. A tension spring 84 is secured to the arm 82 at one end and to a suitable anchoring point 85 at the opposite end whereby the roller 8| is held to the periphery of the disc 56 and to follow the cam surfaces 69 and 16.

On the arm 13 is a lug 84x to which is pivotally connected a link rod 86. The opposite end of the link rod 86 is pivotally connected to a lever 81 freely mounted on a stud 88 carried by the machine frame.

As the cam groove 51, roller 6| and bell crank arm 60 have actuated to swing the fingers 42 and 43 counterclockwise, the arm 49x is carried Vby such movement adjacent to the lever 81 (see rection pulling the lever 81 against the arm 49X to force the fingers 42 and 43 apart when in the Y position shown in Fig. '1. When the fingers 42 and 43 are swung in the reverse direction around the shaft 28, the arm 49x is carried above the 'Y lever 81 allowing the fingers 42 and 43 to close by means of the spring 41. When the reverse swing of the fingers 42 and 43 is near completion, theroller 8| is engaged by the cam portion 18 swinging the arms 82 and 13 upward carrying the cam 14 into the position shown in Fig. 8 to engage the arm 49x as it descends thus opening the fingers 42 and 43 until they come tothe bottle gripping position. The arm 49x then passes lof! lifting of one bottle and prior to the release of another bottle, the bottle .td be gripped or released is given a shaking movement. This is'done in the first case to ensure .of any surplus wax being drained oil' the inverted bottle so that when the bottle is up-ended wax will not flow to the bottom of the bottle and coagulate into lumps and render the bottle interior unsightly. In the secondcase the bottle is shaken to prevent the sticking of the lingers to the congealing wax as the bottle is released.

In order to eiect' this movement, the cam groove at the beginning of its lifting operation 'is provided in its outer wall with a convex protuberance B8 and radially opposite in the inner wall with corresponding concavity 89. By this means as the roller 6| passes between the portions 88 and 89 a quick inward andv outward l'movement is given to the roller 6i thereby imparting a quick up and down or shaking movement to the lingers 42 and 43 and the bottle gripped thereby by means of the roller and intervening mechanism.

Similarly at the end of the transfer movement, the fingers 42 and 43 and the gripped bottle are given a quick up and down or shaking movement by means of the convex protuberance 90 and the radially opposite concavity 9i imparting a quick inward and outward movement to the roller 6i and thereby supporting a similar quick up and down or shaking movement to the bottle as it is deposited on the belt conveyor Ii to free the lingers 42 and 43 from the congealing wax. y

The complete cycle. of operation is as follows, such cycle starting from the position shown in Fig. t. f Y

With reference to Fig. 10, it will be seen that this position is indicated on the chart by the notation "Fig 4. Referring now to the cam 5t, Fig. 4, it will be noticed that the roller 8i being on the lower dwell portion will retain the cam 'It in its inelective position thus allowing the gripping lingers 42 and 43 to grasp the'bottle under the tension ofthe spring 4l? (Fig. 5). As the cam 56 rotates in the direction of arrow, the roller 6i is influenced bythe portions 88, 89 of the groove 5l. It is obvious that this influence will cause the segment gear 52 to oscillate sharply and this oscillation is communicated to the shaft 22 through the pinion 49 which raises and lowers the gripping lingers 42 and 43 and bottle t rapidly to shake off any superuous paraffin that may be clinging thereto. 'Ihis reciprocation of the bottle is vertical because the roller 66 is contacting the cam bracket El. Referring to Fig. l0. the vertical reciprocation of the gripping fingers is graphically illustrated by the lines A and B. As the cam 56 continues to rotate the segment gear 52 has a uniform oscillation imparted to it through the medium-of the groove 5l. As explained before, for the first portion of this movement, the gripping lingers andbottle are raised vertically until the bottle is clear of the retaining ring 3 and this vertical movement is indicated by the line C Fig. 10. When the gripping lingers are free of the influence of the cam 6l they will assume an arcuate path of travel represented by D, Fig. 10 until they reach the position illustrated in Fig. 6 and indicated as such in Fig. 10 up-ending the bottle so that it assumes a bottomdown or lling position resting on the conveyor belt Il.

Referring now to Fig. 6 and Vparticularly to the cam 56, it will be seen from this figure that upon further rotation of the cam 5B. the segment gear 62 will be influenced by the portions 90, 9i oi' the groove 51 andthe gripping lingers will again be subjected to a shaking movementas illustrated at E, F Fig. 10 similar to the movement (except it is arcuate and not vertical) A, B, Fig. 16 imparted when the gripping fingers and bottle were being raised. Just as this reciprocation starts, the roller 8| is influenced by the cam surfa'ce 69 which raises the cam 14 slightly and pulls the linkBG and lever 8l which in turn pulls the arm 49x of the gripping linger 42 thereby opening the fingers to release the bottle. The reciprocation movement E, F, imparted by the portions 90, 9i of groove 51 prevents the bottle from adhering to the gripping lingers. As the cam 5t continues to rotate the segment gear 62 is given a retrograde oscillation about the shaft 28 through the influence of the groove 61 to return the gripping lingers 42 and 43 to their "normal position to transfer another bottle first upward in an open position to clear the Aup-endecl bottle as indicated at G'in Fig. 10, then closing as the arm 49x passes the upper end of the lever 8l and remaining closed as indicated at I-I Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 9, as the gripping fingers near the completion of their retrograde oscillation around the shaft 23, the roller 3|! is influenced by the cam portion 10 and raises the cam 'It into the path of the arm 49 carried towards the cam by such oscillating movement so as to swing the arm 43 to open the gripping lingers 42 and 43 again as indicated at I Fig. 10 ready to grasp a bottle. From Figs. 8 and 9 it will be noted that the roller Bt is again influenced by the cam 6l as the gripping fingers 42 and 43 move down to envelop a bottle so that they pass longitudinally of the bottle parallel yto its axis and in a horizontal position to the gripping point as indicated at J Fig. 10.

Additional rotation of the cam 5t will cause the roller ti under the influence of the spring 84 to roll down the portion lil onto the periphery of the disc t carrying the cam back to its normal position and thus leaving the fingers t2 and 43 under the influence of the spring il to grip the bottle before the segment gear 52 again oscillates to transfer the next bottle.

What I claim as my invention isz- 1. The combination with a conveyor provided with retainers adapted to carry bottles in an inverted position and a bottle transporting conveyor adapted to carry bottles in. a filling position, of a rock shaft, an arm extending radially therefrom and comprising two members, a spring hinge between the members, bottle gripping means comprising two pivoted members spring held together and carried by the outer hinged member, means for rocking the rock shaft, and means for holding the outer hinged member in a horizontal position until the bottle engaged by the gripping members is raised clear of its retainer, and means for opening the gripping means at each end of the rocking stroke.

2. 'I'he combination with a conveyor provided with retainers adapted to carry bottles in an inverted position and a bottle transporting conveyor adapted to carry bottles in a filling position, ol a rock shaft, an arm extending radially therefrom and comprising two members, a spring hinge between the members, bottle gripping means comprising two' pivoted members` spring held together and carried by the outer hinged member, means for rocking the rock shaft, and means for holding the outer hinged member in a horizontal position until the bottle engaged by the gripping members is raised clear of its retainer and comprising an arm depending from the outer hinged member, a roller journalled on the arm, and a stationary cam plate against the cam edge of which the roller bears as the hinge arm recedes from or approaches the bottle gripping position.

3. The combination with a conveyor provided with retainers adapted to carry bottles in an inverted position and a bottle transporting conveyor adapted to carry bottles-in a filling position, of a rock shaft, anarm secured to the rock shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of gripping members pivotally mounted on the end of the arm and geared and spring held together, an operating arm extending from one of the gripping members adjacent its pivot, an arm freely swung on the rock shaft, a main cam, means operated by the main cam for rocking the rock shaft, and means also operated by the main cam for swinging the'free arm on the rock shaft, and means connected to the swinging arm for engaging the operating arm,` to open the gripping members at each end of the rock shaft stroke.

4. 'I'he combination with a conveyor provided with retainers adapted to carry bottles in an inverted position and a bottle transporting conveyor adapted to carry bottles in a filling position, of a rock shaft, an arm secured to the rock shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair cf gripping members pivotally mounted'. on the end of the arm and geared'and spring held together, an operating arm extending from one of the gripping members adjacent its pivot, an

armfreely swung on the rock shaft, a main cam, means -operated by the main cam for rocking the rock shaft, and means also operated by the main carn` for swinging the free'arm on the rock shaft, a cam piece secured to the freely swingingarm by which the operating arm of the' gripping member is engaged to open the gripping members as such gripping members are swung ,towards the inverted bottle, and a peripheral cam piece on the main camv and means operated thereby for swinging the free arm upward.

veyor adapted to carry bottles in a filling position, of a. rock shaft, an arm secured to-the rock shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of gripping members pivotally mounted on the end of the arm and geared and spring held together, an operating arm extending from one of the gripping members adjacent its pivot, an arm freely swung on the rock shaft, a main cam, means operated by the main cam for rocking the rock shaft, and means also operated by the main cam for swinging the free arm on the rock shaft, a lug depending from tha freely swinging arm, a pivoted lever, a link between the lug and the lever, and a peripheral cam piece secured to the main cam and means operated thereby for swinging the free arm upward to swing the pivoted lever against the operating arm of the gripping members to open such gripping members when engaging the deposited bottle in the filling position.

6. AThe combination with a conveyor provided with retainers adapted to carry bottles in an inverted position and a bottle transporting conveyor adapted to carry bottles in a filling position, of a rock shaft, an arm secured to the rock shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of gripping members pivotally mounted on the end of the arm, a gear quadrant lever mounted to rock, a pinion on the rock shaft with which vthe .gear quadrant is in mesh, a main cam provided with a cam groove in its face, a pivoted bell crank lever provided at one end with a roller engaging the cam groove, a link connecting the opposite end of the bell crank to the gear quadrant lever, and means for opening the gripping members adjacent one end of the rocking stroke preparatory to gripping an inverted bottle, means for opening the gripping members at the other end of the rocking stroke to release a bottle in the filling position, anda short jog formed in the groove of the main cam at dlametrically opposite points to provide a quick lift and returnv or shaking movement to the gripping members preheldl together' and carried bythe outer hinged y member, means for rocking the rock shaft, and

means for holding the'outer hinged member in a horizontalposition until the bottle engaged by the gripping members is raised clear of its re,- tainer, -means for opening the gripping means at each end of the rocking stroke, and means for imparting to the rock shaft and arm a sudden forward. and return movement during the main rocking movement of the arm. l

WILLIAM ABBO'I'I' JOPLIN. 

